An incumbent party who should have been riding the crest of success if only they had managed to convince the people that they had actually done some good in the last five years of their rule. A serious challenger who had more baggage than most can carry but also a responsibility to shake the corrupt lethargy that the Congress seemed to represent and reflect. A host of regional parties with independent opinions and agendas. This was the battle ground sketched into the annals of advertising history in the year 2014.

Everyone needed to be heard. Everyone needed to be understood. And everyone had a time limit. It was money however that changed the very shape and methodology of communication for these parties. And that is where I feel normal clients can benefit from the lessons learnt.

Another one for the SOB Story Chronicles then…my random ramblings for Service Oriented Businesses.

Frankly, it was such a familiar scenario. The market leader who thought he was undisputed King. The challenger who had latched onto a relevant USP almost by chance. And the insignificant small brands that were pocket size by definition.

The Congress I must admit looked like it had lost the battle even before the first skirmish. The BJP seems to have seen this as a ‘now or never’ opportunity. And the small fries tried to take shelter in a common man appeal that cried about no money in the pockets but only ideology in the heart.

Reports say that the BJP alone had a 5000+ Crore Advertising and Promotion Budget. And they were visible on almost all conventional media as well as new age alternatives including social media. They were also the forerunners of spectacular media like Holograms which ostensibly allowed them to address more people in real time, but experience shows that they managed to wow more illiterates.

The smaller parties understandably wore more economical garbs and tried to make a non-spend on advertising seem like a virtue.

The Congress in abject surrender mode did not try anything spectacular…nor did it try and present a content strong front. Are they saving up for Rahul Gandhi’s 2024 Blitzkrieg? Or did they decide not to spend precious resources on a no-hope campaign? Or has the money been kept aside to buy results at a later stage?

Answers to these and many other questions will only emerge in the next few months but the lessons to be learnt are already there.

No party can take the electorate for granted. Similarly market leadership is a current state of affairs and is not to be seen as a heritage property.

If you do not have an USP, you have to create one and focus all your energies in promoting that very USP. BJP had nothing but Modi. Even those who objected to Modi realised this and allowed the party single minded focus and projection of uni-leadership.

If your message has to reach multiple audiences, you have to choose your media carefully. The medium you use defines the way you are perceived. BJP’s or should I say Modi’s…thrusts into the Social Media sector got a whole new class of voters into the fray.

However they have yet to learn that Share of Voice in Social Media does not have as much value as Share of Engagement…and their creatives lacked in this department. News of Modi was shareworthy, but the communique itself made no attempts to become more shareable.

Kejriwal’s drama that shows him admitting that the AAM AADMI PARTY does not have the financial muscle to spread his message and indeed wants the citizenry of India to conscientiously contribute in this endeavour…did not work as expected. And possibly backfired after his 49 day debacle.

So Brand Leaders beware. You cannot sit on your laurels. And you are as much of a leader as your last innovation. Frankly, this Gandhi Legacy trash has gone beyond Expiry Date.

Challengers. You have to spend. And spend fast. Impact has a short duration fuse. And your USP can be one only if you hammer it down everyone’s apprehensions.

Small time products and services. Time for you to bring out the Mufflers. Cough discretely. And leave.

Do not take communication for granted. It comes as a package and price is part of it.